We came back from our trip to Iceland a week ago. We had one hell of a time but we might have been a little too ambitious making the tour of the island in two weeks with a 6-month-old. Alaïs was nevertheless a happy baby pretty much most of the time and that alone basically made the whole trip possible. We arrived at Reykjavik and headed south along the Ring Road, for a counter clockwise tour of the island and some pretty astonishing sights. My personal favourites were the dramatically changing landscapes, the glacier lagoon and beach at Jökulsárlón (in spite being pretty crowded with tourists), the vastness of the Eastfjords, Lake Myvatn and everything around it and spotting an Aurora Borealis for the first time.

Culinary wise, we made our own meals most of the time but we did check a few restaurants here and there. I’d say Iceland is probably not the best place to dine out if you’re vegan or vegetarian (except Reykjavik and Akureyri) but most places we’ve been to had a vegetarian dish or were willing to customise. That said, there are three Icelandic specialities that stood out: the fish is very fresh, the hot spring bread ‘Hverabrauð’ we had at lake Myvatn (a dark rye bread slowly cooked under the ground around the hot springs – hence the name) and the scrumptious ‘Skyr’ (a very thick fermented yogurt enriched with live active cultures).

Camille came up with a list of things you probably didn’t know about Iceland:

They have the best tap water – fresh spring water comes out of every tap in the island. Hot water can smell a little funny though (aka sulphuric), great for bathing but not for drinking.

The public toilets are amazing in the wildest places – every time we went for a hike there were small cabins with neat toilets and hot water, sometimes even electric hand dryers and baby change mats!

About 85% ot Iceland’s energy is from renewable resources and the major geothermal power plants produce around 30% of the country’s electricity and most of the heating and hot water of the nation’s housing.

Icelanders love babies – everywhere we stayed there were baby beds available (from youth hostels to chalets) and we even had a brand new baby bed from one of our hosts! In restaurants there were always at least one baby chair and if none was available, they went and ask the neighbour!

They grow their own strawberries! In greenhouses, evidently, which are heated by geothermal energy.

They are very respectful of nature and expect you to be too – that means no off-road driving, no picking up Icelandic moss (it is very delicate and takes a vey long time to grow!), no littering or throwing good-luck coins into hot springs or geysers!

On our last day we had dinner with my friend Hildur and her lovely family and for dessert, she served a delicious combo of Skyr, local strawberries and chocolate. Skyr is an Icelandic delicacy of fermented yogurt, thick and creamy beyond belief. When we got back I searched around for a way to make it at home but all recipes I found require a sample of skyr that works as starter, which is impossible to find in Geneva (and probably everywhere except Iceland). So I decided on a vegan alternative, adapted from Sarah Britton’s beautiful cookbook ‘My New Roots’ and used the last berries of the season for this tasty dessert.

Cashew Yogurt with Strawberries & Dark Chocolate

Notes: This recipe requires a blender (high-speed works best for silky smooth yogurt).

To remove chlorine from tap water, either boil and allow to cool or set water aside in a bowl or jar for 24h.

*If don’t have probiotic capsules, a yogurt starter also works. In absence of both, you can still make this recipe: slowly add the water to the mixture while the blender is running until you get the desired consistency (you may need less than 1 cup) OR add 1 teaspoon of psyllium husks powder for extra creaminess and a few bonus points for intestinal health.

To make the yogurt: Rinse and drain the cashews and combine them in a blender with lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, vanilla bean seeds and the water (Add more / less water if you want a thinner / thicker yogurt). Pour into a glass or ceramic container.

If using, stir the probiotics into the cashew blend with a non-metallic spoon. Cover with a clean tea towel and place somewhere warm. The fermentation will take 6 to 24 hours, depending on the temperature (warmer environment = less time). The yogurt is ready when tiny bubbles appear to the surface and it has a pleasant tangy-sour scent; use a non-metallic spoon to check if it is to your taste. Serve right away or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To Serve: Place yogurt in individual bowls if you like or just leave it in the big bowl. Add halved strawberries, blueberries, a drizzle of maple syrup (if desired) and a generous heap of grated dark chocolate. Enjoy in good company.

I love seeing photos of Iceland – I am hoping we can get there early next year – and the northern lights are absolutely at the top of our wish-to-see list! I think it’s pretty amazing that you were able to bring a baby on a trip like this. Your photos are gorgeous and this yogurt treat sounds delightful! xo